37 CFR § 1.401 - Definitions of terms under the Patent Cooperation Treaty.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t37/s1.401"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "37 CFR § 1.401 - Definitions of terms under the Patent Cooperation Treaty."
title_number: 37
title_name: "Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights"
section_number: "1.401"
section_name: "Definitions of terms under the Patent Cooperation Treaty."
chapter_name: "UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE"
subchapter_number: "A"
subchapter_name: "GENERAL"
part_number: "1"
part_name: "RULES OF PRACTICE IN PATENT CASES"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "35 U.S.C. 2(b)(2), unless otherwise noted."
regulatory_source: "24 FR 10332, Dec. 22, 1959, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "1"
---


# 1.401 Definitions of terms under the Patent Cooperation Treaty.

(a) The abbreviation *PCT* and the term *Treaty* mean the Patent Cooperation Treaty.

(b) *International Bureau* means the World Intellectual Property Organization located in Geneva, Switzerland.

(c) *Administrative Instructions* means that body of instructions for operating under the Patent Cooperation Treaty referred to in PCT Rule 89.

(d) *Request*, when capitalized, means that element of the international application described in PCT Rules 3 and 4.

(e) *International application*, as used in this subchapter is defined in § 1.9(b).

(f) *Priority date* for the purpose of computing time limits under the Patent Cooperation Treaty is defined in PCT Art. 2 (xi). Note also § 1.465.

(g) *Demand,* when capitalized, means that document filed with the International Preliminary Examining Authority which requests an international preliminary examination.

(h) *Annexes* means amendments made to the claims, description or the drawings before the International Preliminary Examining Authority.

(i) Other terms and expressions in this subpart C not defined in this section are to be taken in the sense indicated in PCT Art. 2 and 35 U.S.C. 351.

[43 FR 20466, May 11, 1978, as amended at 52 FR 20047, May 28, 1987]